LIVE from the Northwest Event Show: Cheryl Cecchetto - former planner of Emmy and Oscar events

·23 min·2 clips

Cheryl Cecchetto recounts the frantic two-week scramble to secure 300 glass pendants per chandelier for a Marilyn Monroe-themed event.

This episode features host Rachel Horgan interviewing Cheryl Cecchetto, founder of Sequoia Productions, live from the Northwest Event Show. Cecchetto has produced high-profile events like the Oscars and Emmys Governor's Balls for three decades. The conversation offers insights into securing elite contracts and managing large-scale productions. Cecchetto explains that securing major contracts requires delivering 110% effort and building relationships over time. She emphasizes the need to offer something unique and maintain a strong work ethic for clients to find you. Planning events like the Oscars involves dealing with established professionals like costume designers and producers who demand efficiency. Budgets are substantial but tight, requiring financial acumen and meticulous pre-planning with detailed charts and timelines. Cecchetto shares a story about sourcing chandeliers from Costco for a Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend theme, where her team had to reinforce thousands of glass pendants. She describes managing large events by dividing them into smaller, manageable sections, like individual restaurants. One surprising claim is that one difficult person from a high-profile event is currently in jail, though Cecchetto avoids naming them. She argues celebrities often get a bad rap, sharing how she helped Emma Thompson discreetly navigate the Oscars engraving station. Cecchetto believes events are essential for human connection and brand promotion, citing the introduction of the product Fresh at an event 15 years ago. She highlights sustainability, like repurposing chain decorations from the Emmys for an NFL event lounge. A key tip is diversifying clients across corporate, entertainment, and private sectors to avoid risks like industry strikes. Cecchetto advises younger professionals to contemplate and organize rather than just react to emails. She notes that multi-year contracts come after proving value, such as returning budget savings to clients. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal anecdotes with practical advice from Cecchetto's extensive career. The style is interview-based, with Horgan prompting stories and insights from the event industry. Event planners and business professionals would love this episode for its behind-the-scenes stories and strategic advice on client management and production. Listeners seeking a standard local business news recap might skip it, as the focus is on event industry specifics and a single guest interview.

As heard by us

A live event-industry conversation about detail, pressure, and the work hidden behind spectacle.

The Weekly shifts into a live on-stage conversation at the Northwest Event Show and turns its attention to the work that sits behind high-pressure events.

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Want a backstage look at how huge live events stay organized?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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